Perry, Cruz slam Obama over Marine in Mexican jail UPDATE

UPDATE:
FORT WORTH – U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz had much the same reaction as Perry to the Marine veteran’s situation, calling it “an outrage.”
“It is a disgrace. A decorated U.S. Marine is languishing in a Mexican jail because he took a wrong turn … and had in his car three firearms,” Cruz said. “Nobody, nobody, nobody has a bigger bully pulpit than the president of the United States, and I cannot understand why the president is so unwilling to speak out for freedom.”

ORIGINAL POST:

FORT WORTH – Gov. Rick Perry on Friday called the continued incarceration of a Marine veteran in a Mexican jail on weapons charges one in a series of foreign policy failures by the Obama Administration.

Perry, a vehement critic of the president, spoke to the RedState Gathering of conservative activists before heading to Iowa as he eyes a second run for president.

He was asked about the case of Andrew Tahmooressi, who was detained after driving to San Diego to Tijuana with weapons and ammunition in his vehicle. The veteran has said he accidentally crossed into the port of entry.

His mother has brought his case to national attention as she works for his release. The case is on the Obama administration’s radar

“Quite frankly, Mr. Tahmooressi’s case has gotten a tremendous amount of attention from the State Department,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of State John D. Feeley, the Los Angels Times reported.
“This is a case we have raised repeatedly and at high levels with the Mexicans.”

Perry said Texas has taken an interest in the case.

“We’ve actually been in contact with our counterparts in the state of northern Baja,” Perry said. “I would think that with the trade, with the proximity, with the relationship that we’ve historically had with Mexico, sometimes it’s challenging, but if the president of the United States and the president of Mexico were committed to bringing that young man home, it would have happened months ago.

“I don’t know all the details … but I know that the governor of northern Baja, were it left up to him, that Marine would be out of his jail,” Perry said. “This is a federal issue that again I think there is a failure of foreign policy out of this administration that we have seen time after time.”

Texas Governor Rick Perry stands by the podium smiling as he acknowledges applause after delivering a speech to nearly 300 in attendance at the 2014 Red State Gathering, Friday, Aug. 8, 2014, in Fort Worth, Texas. Two Texans eyeing possible 2016 presidential runs, Perry and U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz, are addressing the kind of top-tier conservative event necessary to build national support, the RedState Gathering. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez) less

Texas Governor Rick Perry stands by the podium smiling as he acknowledges applause after delivering a speech to nearly 300 in attendance at the 2014 Red State Gathering, Friday, Aug. 8, 2014, in Fort Worth, ... more

Photo: Associated Press

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Governor Rick Perry balls up his hand in a fist as he addresses a group of nearly 300 in attendance at the 2014 Red State Gathering, Friday, Aug. 8, 2014, in Fort Worth, Texas. Two Texans eyeing possible 2016 presidential runs, Gov. Rick Perry and U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz, are addressing the kind of top-tier conservative event necessary to build national support, the RedState Gathering. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez) less

Governor Rick Perry balls up his hand in a fist as he addresses a group of nearly 300 in attendance at the 2014 Red State Gathering, Friday, Aug. 8, 2014, in Fort Worth, Texas. Two Texans eyeing possible 2016 ... more